


For The Love Of God Just Kiss Already

by Timewormbloom



Category: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-03
Updated: 2019-05-03
Packaged: 2020-02-16 11:18:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18690430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Timewormbloom/pseuds/Timewormbloom
Summary: Crowley and Halt being oblivious and touch-starved while literally everyone around them is painfully aware of how they feel towards each other. Inspired by the hell post awhile ago on Tumblr and when Halt looses the ability to function around Lady Pauline.





	For The Love Of God Just Kiss Already

       Halt was not a tactile person. Sure he was more than willing to give someone a hug or two, but for the most part it just wasn’t something that came naturally to him. His upbringing simply didn't allow it. All affection happened behind closed doors, away from the court. Halt could go an entire day with nobody but the servants handling his clothing touching him. Which is why Crowley threw him for a loop. You couldn’t get within three feet of him without being casually touched in some way, weather it was merely a friendly shoulder touch or Crowley going full on octopus. He didn’t dislike it, but it threw him off so much that he wasn’t sure if he liked it. 

 

        Crowley could spend years figuring out the puzzle that was Halt. Like how he tensed up whenever Crowley threw an arm around his shoulder, but would hug him in an instant. Maybe he didn’t like physical contact unless it was on his own terms? Should he tone it down? It might be for the best. Crowley was touch starved, sure. It was part of being a Ranger. But he didn’t want to make Halt uncomfortable. Toning it down it was. 

* * *

 

      “You have got to be kidding,” Halt grumbled, scowling down at the tarp that had apparently offended him. Crowley looked away from the fire for a moment to answer with a small hum. Halt wordlessly held up a tarp with a sizable chunk taken out of the middle. “If it was torn I could fix it, but there’s not much I can do about this,” Halt signed and looked to the horizon, where conveniently some storm clouds were forming. 

 

“I saw a cave about a kilometer back. It don’t know if it’ll fit both of us, but if it doesn’t we can just fold the tarp over and turn it into a one person tent while the other sleeps in the cave,” Crowley offered, gesturing in the direction that they’d come from. Halt grunted in rely as he started to pack up the camp. Crowley wordlessly joined him in the familiar routine that they had countless times. 

 

They made it to the cave just in time to settle before the rain hit. Luckily both of them could fit, but they were noticeable closer than they were in their tent. The first few droplets of rain fell as Crowley wiggled around trying to give Halt as much space as possible. He knew how he felt about physical contact. Eventually Halt poked him hard in the ribs to stop his movements, so Crowley called it good and fell asleep with his back pressed against Halt. 

 

The first thing that Crowley noticed when we woke up was that it was warm. Then he noticed how Halt has his arm slung around his waist and his head leaning against Crowley’s neck. Crowley was at a loss. Should be wake up Halt? Or try to escape so Halt isn’t embarrassed? 

 

       His musing were cut short by Halt’s eyes flying open. They had a few seconds of eye contact before Halt’s brain processed what was going on. He held his head up slightly and looked from his arms, that was still around Crowley waist, to Crowley’s face. Halt showed no outward signs of surprise, but Crowley could see traces of pink on his cheeks and ears. He abruptly pulled away and walked out of the tent. 

 

      Crowley followed slightly behind and fell into a slightly more awkward routine of making breakfast. Soon they were both sitting around the fire. Halt flashed him a ‘you don’t mention it I don’t mention it’ look. Crowley nodded in understand before pulling out a map. 

 

       “If we take the path here….”

* * *

 

        Crowley has planted himself next to Halt’s bed. He wasn’t sure if he hadn’t been shooed out because nobody had noticed him or because they were scared, but at the moment he didn’t care. All of is attention was on the medic steadily sticking the wound on Halt’s leg closed. He was trying very hard to not look at the trail of Halt’s blood that had fallen in their wake as Crowley rushed Halt through the halls of Castle Redmont. 

 

       “How is he?” He asked, desperately, when he saw the medic tie off the stitches. They jumped and spun around, apparently not aware that they had an audience. They stared for a moment, before blinking away the surprise and letting professionalism take over. 

 

       “He should wake up soon, though he’ll be a little loopy for a few hours from the blood loss. Don’t let him strain his leg too much,” they advised before scurrying out, leaving Crowley to immediately move closer. 

 

       Which was probably a bad idea since when Halt woke an about an hour later they nearly knocked heads. Halt had a spaced out look and just looked at Crowley. 

 

        “How are you feeling?” Crowley asked, barely able to contain his relief at seeing Halt awake. 

 

        “Hug me.” Crowley just stared at Halt after he said that. 

 

        “What?” he finally managed to choke out. 

 

       “You heard me,” Halt demanded, grabbing Crowley’s conveniently located arm to pull him onto the bed with him. Crowley was so surprised that it wasn’t too hard for Halt to manhandle him. Before Crowley’s thoughts could catch up Halt was sprawled out in top of him. 

        “Hey, I thought I told you to hug me,” Halt demanded, pinning Crowley with an intense stare. It was weird seeing Halt’s face sporting that somewhat blank look. Still, he hesitantly put his arms around Halt who seemed to melt into the touch. 

 

       “I thought you didn’t like it when I touched you?” Crowley asked, confused. 

 

        “I like it. I’m just not used to it. Hug me a lot,” he ordered. Well, who was Crowley to argue with that? Even if he was delirious because of blood loss. Crowley was touch-starved, okay?

* * *

 

        Crowley treasured moments like these. There was no nationwide disaster they needed to take care of, just drinking coffee in the middle of the woods with all of his comrades. Comrades that included Halt. That part was especially nice. King Duncan gave him a knowing look whenever Crowley mentioned Halt, which was weird. 

 

        Speaking of weird looks, nearly every Ranger was giving Crowley and Halt some rather unimpressed ones. They could just be looking at him since he was the Commandant, and Halt was sitting very close to him. Very, very, close to him. Okay maybe that was why. Though was it really that weird to sit less than a few inches away from each other?

 

        “Oh for crying out loud just kiss already,” someone shouted from within the woods. Crowley laughed, putting a friendly arm over Halt’s shoulders. 

 

         “Why not,” Halt called back, much to the disbelief of everyone around them. He reached up and laced his fingers through the hand currently resting right above his collarbone. Of course, it would have been cooler if his face hadn’t promptly turned roughly the color of a ripe tomato. “Of course, if you’re okay with, I mean…” 

 

         Crowley had a feeling that Halt would have rambled on for ages if he left him, so he solved the problem by softly pecking Halt on the lips. Crowley could hear the explosion of noise around them as the rest of the Corps lost their minds. Several shouts about bets rang out. Halt sprang up, grabbed Crowley by the shoulders, and dragged him off. The people behind them were going absolutely wild. 

 

          Somehow Halt’s hold on his shoulders traveled down until they were very much holding hands. Several minutes later, and Crowley was having an epiphany. Mostly because of how natural holding Halt’s hand was. And how thinking back on it, maybe regular friendship didn’t make you gush to friends for nearly an hour. It would explain the looks he got from King Duncan whenever he brought up Halt. 

 

      A minute later, and they were sitting across from each other in the two person they still shared whenever they happened to meet up, which was mostly during Gatherings. 

 

       “So we’re doing this? The whole relationship thing?” Crowley asked. Please let them be doing the relationship thing. 

 

       “I’m cool with it if you want to,” Halt muttered. 

 

       “I am completely okay with that,” Crowley responded, not afraid to admit that his face had long since joined Halt’s in terms of redness. Halt scooted over to sit next to Crowley, and they seamlessly relaxed against each other. 

 

       “This is nice. I can’t remember the last time I actually hugged someone. Wait no ,I hugged you that one time a few months ago,” Crowley muttered sleepily. Halt just grabbed some blankets and pulled Crowley back to lie down. Crowley gladly leaned into Halt’s touch and smiled at Halt’s nervous sputtering. 

 

        And if Crowley remembers Halt’s tendency to act like a total mess whenever something even slightly romantic happens for all eternity, well who can blame him. 


End file.
